Coyotes on prowl in Palm Desert, put neighbors on edge
Frank Frary said he losing hope of finding his family pet Bruno.
“Bruno is our cat. He’s been missing for three weeks,” he said.
Frary has seen at least two coyotes make his neighborhood near Highway 74 their home. He’s not alone. Aletha Stuart, of Palm Desert, said she’s tried to keep coyotes out of her yard and away from her dogs, but nothing seems to work.
“This morning I found it sleeping in my front yard. It’s frightening. It’s living in fear.” said Stuart. “We can’t even let (our pets) out to let them relieve themselves without going with them and making a lot of noise.”
Residents said they don’t want the coyotes euthanized, just relocated. However, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said it’s against the law to relocate coyotes. It would only get involved if people are directly threatened.
“The general public has broad latitude to respond – kill them themselves or hire a pest management to do it,” said Kevin Brennan, a wildlife biologist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
“For the safety of our children, I would like this coyote removed, period,” said Frary.
Practice safety guidelines and encourage your neighbors to do the same.
– Never feed a coyote deliberately.
– You may be inadvertently feeding coyotes by leaving pet food or garbage where they can get to it.
– Keep and feed pets indoors or promptly remove outdoor dishes when pets finish their meals.
– Store bags of pet food indoors.
– Use trash cans with lids that clamp shut, which will prevent spilling if the cans are tipped over.
– Pick up fallen fruit.
